The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said former Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah diverted about N13.6bn belonging to the Nigeria Army.

The agency also mentioned a company, Stoke Synergy Nigeria Limited in the allegation.

The EFCC said the two suspects diverted the funds to the accounts of four other companies namely, Gogori Bureau De Change, My Honey Oil Interbiz Limited, Gogori University Link Limited and M&M Babies Nigeria Limited.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal High Court in Abuja had, on June 30, 2017, ordered the freezing of Minimah’s account and that of Stoke Synergy Nigeria Limited.

The judge said the ruling will last for 90 days, but subject to renewal through an application by the EFCC.

The grounds of the application as reproduced in the court’s ruling stated, “The case being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission relates to one of money laundering in the sum of N13,650,795,245.00 (thirteen billion, six hundred and fifty million, seven hundred and ninety-five thousand, two hundred and fifty-five naira) from funds of the Nigerian Army to companies: Gogori Bureau De Change, My Honey Oil Interbiz Limited, Gogori University Link Limited and M&M Babies Nigeria Limited.

“On the instruction of one Col. Odi, N94,476,500.00 was transferred into Nigerian Army Welfare Ltd./Ojo Land First Bank account number 2027107951, belonging to the Nigerian Army, using the name of Lt.-Gen. K. T. J. Minimah and one Peach Energy Multiservice Limited, out of which the amount, N52,855,000.00, was transferred to Gen K. T. J. Minimah’s USA account number 1003674184.

”Also from the Nigerian Army Welfare Ltd./Ojo Land account, the sum of N3,717,436,636.00 was transferred to the various accounts belonging to Honey Oil Interbiz Limited with Sterling Bank (account number 28457168), Zenith Bank (account number 1013961012) and Fidelity Bank (account No. 5080105828) on various occasions.

“Honey Oil Interbiz Limited, in turn, transferred N800m to Stoke Synergy Limited’s Zenith account number 1014195674. The said sums were transferred to accounts No.1 (Minimah’s account) and 2 (Stoke Synergy Nigeria Limited’s account) of the Schedule hereto now being sought to be frozen.

“There is the need to preserve the money now traced to the accounts in the schedule to this application pending the conclusion of investigation and the determination of criminal charges to be instituted against the suspects.”

Justice Kolawole held that he was “convinced and satisfied” that there were “genuine and probable grounds” to grant the EFCC’s application.

The judge stated, “I am convinced and satisfied that there are genuinely probable grounds for this court to lend its powers to aid the applicant in being able to conduct a thorough investigation into the financial dealings and transactions which were mentioned in the report in Exhibit ‘EFCC-1’.

“The applicant’s ‘motion ex parte’, dated and filed on 22/2/17, succeeds as prayed.”

The judge, however, ruled that he would not allow the freezing of the accounts to “run indefinitely or pending when the applicant (EFCC) is able, at its own time or convenience, to conclude its investigation”.

He therefore ordered that the order would last for 90 days from the date the ruling was delivered (June 30).